Archive for May, 2012

Bed skirts are staging a comeback! I wanted to show you some super pretty ones I spotted recently. Although there are simpler alternatives, the pretty ones are special and lovely. So pretty in fact that I would almost dress a bed in all white and let the bed skirt shine, especially this ruffle one.

I love ruffles and keep finding beautiful ruffle specimens all over the place. I feel a ruffle post may be in order. Stay tuned! Anyways…back to the bed skirt ideas, a bed skirt can work with any bedding combination if you choose one to suit the style of your room and your bedding. The mini ruffle one below could be used to balance a bold pattern.

There are pleated and box pleated varieties, vertical and horizontal ruffle varieties and various flat versions with different edges such as the scalloped one pictured below from Serena and Lily.

If you can’t find the exact style or colour you are looking for, you can always make your own. Even if you don’t sew, or don’t feel like it, or don’t like to, you can still make your own if you choose a no-sew version. Check out Chez Larsson, Little Lovelies and Saffron Marigold for some fun bed skirt ideas. Or you can look for a linen one like the Pine Cone Hill bed skirt.

With a fancy little bed skirt on your bed you can store stuff under your bed (as if you don’t already!) and still maintain a finished look. Also, under the bed makes for an awesome hiding spot for hide and seek if you have little ones!

Not only is the entryway the gateway to your home, it also sets the tone for the decor. So, its kind of important to decorate with that in mind, without letting it intimidate you. Creating a proper mix of pattern in an entryway is all about working with colour, scale and shape.

What I like about the patterned entryway in the photo, is that the shape of the patterned mirrors repeats in the open lattice form of the pillows, and the lemon tone in the front pillow is repeated in the wallpaper. Mild repetition guides your eyes around the space and gives it a completed look. You know, the way a good book or film leaves you with that feel good feeling because they covered all the bases? Like all the little details add up. Which is what you want to aim for with any decorating project. There is a whole lot of pattern in this entryway, but it works because it is balanced with the solid white bench and unified with the black contours of the furniture and the mirrors.

To add pattern in an entryway in your own home, choose patterns that speak to you. Analyze the shape and colours within the patterns and use them as the starting point for decorating. Introduce the patterns against a backdrop of solid colours to ensure a welcoming space. You can also mix in hues from adjacent rooms to offer a little hint of what lays ahead. When it comes to scale, work with patterns in differing scales. For instance, if you choose a large scale floral pattern, try to introduce another floral in a smaller scale. Mix and match different types of pattern like stripes with florals or botanicals with trellis prints for variation and to add depth.

Play with pattern and create a cheery welcome for all your visitors. Remember you enter your house over and over again, let it greet you with patterns you love!

Yikes! Did I just fall in love with a bowl? What’s not to love about a square pedestal bowl? In my defense it is a spectacular bowl, right? This is the Rosanna Decor Bon Bon White Footed Square Bowl, which I saw on Layla Grace. It is so pretty I think I would have a hard time only pulling it out for occasional use. It would be exquisite if planted with a bright green fern!

My current collection of pedestals is small, but I love each and every piece and display them above the kitchen cupboards. Most of them are pedestal cake stands, but I have two that are somewhere between bowl and plate with the grandiose pedestal base. There is always room for another pedestal!

What I love about pedestals is that they make me want to entertain. Everything looks elegant when displayed on a pedestal. They also make me want to bake. Or is that my sweet tooth talking in the guise of a piece of ceramic divinity?

This particular square pedestal bowl has an intricate design that is sure to enliven any modern space you place it in. Your pedestals can be displayed on a counter top or an open shelf, or store them and bring them out for special occasions like garden parties and birthdays.

As if you needed a pillowy nudge, a comforting invitation or a coverletted reason to spend more time in bed, but here it is anyways! Layered bedding ideas can be as varied as the style of your bedroom. While many different pieces are available to achieve the layered look, you don’t need to use all of them on one bed. In fact, the whole idea of layered bedding is to combine separate elements with a mix and match approach.

This is all about dream-worthy comfort, so choose soft fabrics with inviting textures for an elegant, pampering sleep space you will dream about throughout the day. Especially on a rainy spring day such as today. The world as seen from here is green and glistening, perfect for visualizing a bedding makeover! Can’t I please just curl up with a book and a cup of tea?

Here are the components you will need to create a layered bed:

Bed Skirt

Sheets

Pillow Shams

Pillows

Coverlets and Bedspreads

Quilt

Duvet

Throw

Bedding is one of the many ways you can establish the style or theme of your room. You can create different looks by adding or removing colourful pieces. White is always a good choice, but you can pick any colour for your sheets and pillows. Layer another set of pillows with shams in a hue that will contrast or complement your quilt or duvet and keep building with prints like floral, botanical, lattice, honeycomb, trellis, herringbone, damask and other geometric patterns. Look to stripes, polka dots, gingham and graphics to create visual interest that will balance the flourishes of the other patterns.

When working with colour, try to look at the room as a whole to see what colours you can add to the bedding that repeat elsewhere in the room. This will unify the space and give you some room to play with the existing colour scheme found in your art, furniture, collectibles and accessories.

Hollywood Glam- Choose fabrics with a sheen like satin in pink or cream. Punctuate the look with graphic pillows in pink and cream with black features like monograms and ribboned edges.

Shabby Chic- Layer pristine white sheets with all white bedding. If you want colour, try adding a hint of gray, pink or mauve to mix with the varied textures in the white layers.

Country- Begin with small scale floral printed sheets and choose a quilt with pastel shades present in the sheets. A scalloped bed skirt will give the layered bed a flirty look which you can finish with a chunky knit wool throw in taupe or beige.

Modern- I love damask, so I would use a graphic damask duvet cover as a starting point. Tone on tone sheets with a very light trellis pattern in gray or oatmeal adds another element of pattern to the overall look. Finish this look with a bold colour like ruby, turquoise, grass green or lemon yellow.

Change the bedscape whenever the mood strikes you by changing out certain pieces. For instance, if you did not use a bed skirt, try adding one. You can also add new pillows and move the old ones to a reading chair or a bench at the end of your bed. Experiment always, dream forever and love your space!

At first glimpse, I felt a sense of kinship with Carl Christensen’s ethereal photos. Like I had been there. Like I had dreamt there. I love that feeling. Evoking a dreamy sensibility, Carl Christensen’s photography has a vintage vibe and a whimsical subject matter that covers carnivals and nature. Each frame is colourfully captured with his trademark style.

Christensen’s work has been featured on Modern Family and Martha Stewart‘s Etsy show. The images are available in a range of sizes at a variety of affordable price points. You can even choose to have them matted so all you have to do is frame them.

The saturated colours, especially the turquoise, will work well with modern decor. You can use photography and art as a starting point to create a current palette for a room, or you can update an existing space with some fresh notions of hue.

While his Etsy shop suggests some of the photos for nursery decor, I could see these beauties looking great no matter where you hang them. Above your desk for a little inspiration when you need it perhaps? Whatever the case, Carl Christensen’s photography will haunt you in a good way and make you take a second peek!

The modern white kitchen is ever appealing to me as there are so many beautiful options. First of all, clean white spaces are like a blank slate, which you can punctuate with colour pops and accessorize with shiny bits of this and that. And then, I love how you see a sea of cloud white until you look closer and discover the layers of texture achieved with the choice of differing white materials. And finally, you can alter the modern white kitchen by simply changing the accessories, which can be done at any time.

White Counter Tops

How dreamy to start your day in a bright white kitchen! One of the features you often see in a modern white kitchen is an all-white counter top. While marble will remain a popular choice for counters, you can also look to quartz and recycled alternatives. This type of counter top is man-made and you can find pristine white or you can branch out and experiment with white variations. My favourite white counter top is quartz with mirror flecks added to it. The iridescence created with the mirror bits is tres beautiful!

White Kitchen Cabinets

White cabinets are hot right now, which means any style you can imagine is available at a wide range of price points. Even the plainest of all white cabinets can be dressed up with crystal knobs and pulls to emulate a fresh, modern look. If you are refinishing existing cabinets, consider painting or wallpapering the inside of the cabinet doors for a pop of pattern or a collision of colour!

White Backsplash

White subway tile are a classic choice for creating a backsplash, as are square white ceramic tiles. If you want to choose classic tiles, but want a modern twist, play with the installation pattern. For instance, install the ceramic squares in a diamond pattern. Or, install the white subway tiles stacked one on top of another instead of the standard staggered brick installation.

White Kitchen Sink

Apron sinks are divine in an all white space, they come in a range of styles and sizes. Another idea is to choose any sink you like (for looks and/or functionality) and have it under-mounted. This looks especially grand with stone counter tops.